PennDOT: Take precautions to stay safe

Posted by Press Release on January 22, 2016

As the region’s first winter storm bears down, PennDOT is urging drivers to prepare appropriately.

“It’s important to remind drivers about winter safety laws, such as clearing vehicles of ice and snow, but we also need to promote driver readiness,” PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said in a press release. “Drivers who may have been holding off due to relatively mild weather should be sure they and their vehicles are prepared for the rest of the season.”

Drivers should frequently check all fluid levels, lights and wiper blades. Tires should be examined often for the correct level of air pressure and adequate tire-tread depth to perform on ice and snow.

A properly trained mechanic should inspect your vehicle’s cooling system, battery, hoses, drive belts, tires and wiper blades to ensure they are in good condition and functioning properly, the release said.

Finally, do not travel in wintry weather without a vehicle emergency kit, including items such as non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger and a small snow shovel. Also, make sure vehicles are fully clear of ice and snow before venturing onto roadways; if snow or ice is dislodged and strikes another vehicle or pedestrian, causing death or serious injury, the operator could face a $200 to $1,000 fine.

When winter weather is occurring, PennDOT asks drivers to be extra cautious around snow-removal equipment. When encountering a plow truck, drivers should:

Stay at least six car lengths behind an operating plow truck and remember that the main plow is wider than the truck.
Be alert since plow trucks generally travel much more slowly than other traffic.
When a plow truck is traveling toward you, move as far away from the center of the road as is safely possible, and remember that snow can obscure the actual snowplow width.
Never try to pass or get between several trucks plowing side by side in a "plow train." The weight of the snow thrown from the plow can quickly cause smaller vehicles to lose control, creating a hazard for nearby vehicles.
Never travel next to a plow truck since there are blind spots where the operator can't see and they can occasionally be moved sideways when hitting drifts or heavy snowpack.
Keep your lights on to help the operator better see your vehicle. Also remember that under Pennsylvania state law, vehicle lights must be on every time a vehicle's wipers are on due to inclement weather.

To help make travel decisions, motorists are encouraged to “Know Before You Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 770 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist, and information on PennDOT’s winter operations, including a video released this winter, visit www.penndot.gov/winter.